Attack on Iraq-Turkey oil pipeline halts flow

Unknown militants have bombed a section of a pipeline carrying Iraqi crude oil from the northern city of Kirkuk to Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.
Monday’s attack, which was second in a week, stopped the flow of oil, Reuters quoted Iraqi oil officials as saying.
"More than one bomb was used to attack the pipeline at around 1:30 local time Monday. The pipeline was severely damaged," an oil ministry official said.
On May 6, militants bombed the same pipeline, and halted the flow of oil until May 12.
Ties have soured between the Iraqi government and the Turkish government over the energy relations between Ankara and the Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
In November, Baghdad prevented Turkish national energy firm TPAO from bidding for an oil exploration contract.
And in December, the Iraqi government prevented a plane carrying Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz from landing in Arbil as he was reportedly on his way to ink the energy agreements with the KRG.
GJH/AS